


The Hunt

by Jaderade



Category: Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gen, Multi, Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-25
Packaged: 2018-09-17 10:13:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9319190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaderade/pseuds/Jaderade
Summary: Veronica comes back to Hearst after a summer at the FBI. She discovers her friendships need repair, her attraction to Logan still lingers, and, what the hell, Parker is missing. Unable to stop herself, Veronica is pulled back into the seedy Neptune that she's tried to escape. Where's Parker? Is she alive or dead? Is Veronica the next victim? And does Logan still think she's cute? But, seriously, is Parker ok?





	1. Summer's Over

**Author's Note:**

> This is a my super first attempt at this, so any help, direction or feedback is greatly appreciated. Obviously, all the characters are from the mind of Rob Thomas, etc.

She took a deep breath out as she exited the car and just stared at the wheel for a second. Nodding to herself and forcing a smile on her face she pushed back into the drivers seat and opened the door. 

 

“Welcome to sophomore year, Veronica.” She whispered to herself as she opened her door to the cool California September air. It was different than Virginia’s swelter and steam, a freshness that swept in from the ocean in Southern California. Yep, Neptune, California – the bane of, and, sadly, home of Veronica Mars. A summer internship with the FBI had provided a brief respite, but, unfortunately, until she won the lottery, it was back to reality, and Neptune, for the foreseeable future.

 

She had stayed in Virginia as long as she could, not because she had enjoyed the internship all that much, just because she dreaded coming home. Home. Is that what Neptune was? A town run by the corrupt, banality of evil? The living poor relegated to second-class citizens, a town where Jim Crow still existed, and no one ever got a second change? No, thank you. 

 

Unfortunately for Veronica, Neptune was the only option. Virginia, the FBI internship, had been fine for what it was. But she had realized a month in that she wasn’t made to follow directions, swallow her pride (not to mention her temper), and be polite. There was also a strange tingle in her pinky finger every time Agent Morris stopped by to “check in” on Veronica. Her random asides about Veronica’s “boyfriend” Duncan, after many reminders that they had broken up nearly two years ago after dating briefly, had started to make Veronica a little paranoid. So, with one possible future crossed off the list, Veronica was at a loss and back at square one. Neptune.

 

Despite the heat, Veronica pulled her jean jacket tighter around her waist and stretched her neck. This certainly did resemble square one, she thought with a smirk. She looked up at the looming apartment building a block away from Hearst College. The bright sunshine reflected off the wall of windows facing her and Veronica pulled her hand up to shade her eyes as she looked up to the fourth floor of the building.

 

“Are you plannin’ on squinting there all day, or are you gonna give a brotha a hug?” Veronica looked over at the entrance and saw Wallace looking at her with a wide smile and his arms wide in a shrug.

 

“You know me, I could never leave a brother hanging.” Veronica broke into a wide grin and laughed. She ran up to her favorite person and gave him a big squeeze. “A brother that wants to help a sister out….like with a bunk bed, or a comfy blow up bed to crash on?” Veronica pulled back and gave Wallace her best head tilt, with a questioning smile.

 

“V,” Wallace took a deep breath and rolled his eyes, “Seriously, did you forget who my roommate was?”

“Roommate?”

 

“Yes, the person who shares my living space. The individual without which I would have been on the streets or back at the Mom’s after a summer spending way too much money trying to reconnect with my roots in Africa. Yes, that roommate.”

 

“Ohhh.” Veronica backed away and turned her gaze away from Wallace’s pointed glance. “You mean the roommate that I’ve been avoiding all Summer while I was at my internship in Virginia.”

 

“Yes, Veronica. We can use his actual name.” Wallace sighed and shrugged, “Piz.”

 

Veronica’s eye once again drifted to the fourth floor.

 

“You don’t have to worry, he’s not here right now.” Wallace gave her a hard look.

 

“So, how was Africa?” Veronica, much to her chagrin, asked.

 

“It was good V. It was a lot, but it was good.” Wallace gave her a welcome smile and opened the door for her to enter the building.

 

After thoroughly catching up with Wallace Veronica was exhausted. In Virginia, she hadn’t had any close friends. She had mostly spent her time immersing herself into the work or trying to enjoy the sites a train ride away.

 

Yes, so she ignored everything from back home, leaving her phone back home and deleting the messages in her inbox from anyone besides Mac, Wallace, and her dad. It had made life away easier. No complications. No distractions. And, while she had meant to respond to many of the messages from her favorite people, the longer she was away the easier it was to avoid the complicated idea of Neptune. She could pretend she was Veronica Mars, smart blond from Heart College with an uncomplicated past. A person without a heartbreaking trail of death, betrayal, abandonment, and scandal.

 

Which lasted about a week until the interns got their internet access and suddenly, she was once again the whore in a sex tape and transcripts from the Aaron Echolls trial of the century. While Veronica’s FBI cohort were far more accepting than her peers at Neptune High or Hearst had ever been, Veronica once again faced the fact that she wasn’t one of them. She was always on the outside. And, honestly, she had no idea what she was going to do now. She had always thought the FBI going to be her home. A place for outcasts to do some deep investigative work, use their intellect, and put together clues to solve cases. The reality was that it bored her. The mundane fact checking, working with others, deskwork, and frankly, a lot of down time for idle gossip. Nope, Veronica Mars was bored by the FBI and now had now future.

 

She drove a few more blocks contemplating her destiny while her GPS plotted her way to Mac’s new home, and hopefully, her new crash pad. It had drifted into 09er territory a block ago, while still being relatively close to campus. Veronica pulled up to a brick mansion that had tasteful landscaping and double-checked the text she had gotten from Mac a few minutes prior.

 

_1905 Island Avenue, see you soon!_

 

“Alright, Mac. Apparently, you got rich over the summer.” Veronica said to herself as she shut her door and headed towards the front door.

 

Veronica got to the door and debated ringing the bell versus just giving Mac a call on her cell. What if Mac had accidently sent her the wrong address?

 

Just when she had decided to knock, because it felt like a good compromise, the door opened.

 

“Woah there! Hands up, don’t shoot.” A sardonic voice greeted.

 

Logan’s face quirked with a judgmental eyebrow and a joking smile. Veronica paused and looked over at her fist, clenched mid-air and rolled her eyes. She shook her head and felt momentarily lost. When was the last time she saw Logan. Suddenly a bloodied lip and fist popped into her mind. A flush rose from her chest to her cheeks and she lowered her fist.

 

“Really? That’s what you wanna open with?” Veronica looked Logan over. He was sun lit, his eye flashing brown and gold. A tight grey henley hung to his somehow wider chest and stronger arms. His dark jeans clung to him in a perfectly tailored slouch. His hair poked up at odd angles and seemed damp. He smelled of the sea, salty, but also like smoked leather. It was overwhelming.

 

Taking a deep breath, Veronica added, “What, no followup? Jeeze, I guess I can cross out Summer school from my ‘What Did Logan Get up to the Past 3 Months’ list.”

 

Logan’s looked hurt and Veronica almost apologized for her kneejerk response, but his face quickly hardened, “Well, I’m glad to see those ‘How to be a Cold-Hearted Bitch’ classes really paid off for you.” Logan looked at her hard, but a second later his eyes softened and he shook his head. “ Uh, sorry. I don’t…I mean…Mac’s out back. I should go.”

 

Veronica somehow felt every vocalized debate Logan was having, “No, Logan. I’m sorry. I just.” She smiled and shrugged, “I guess,” She signed, “I just, I didn’t expect to see you. Not like this.” She gestured between herself and him. Logan followed her hand’s flow.

 

“Yeah, well, like I said, Mac’s out back. I was on my way out anyways. Sorry,” He tried to squeeze between the door and her extended arm, but missed the mark and his body knocked hers. Veronica stumbled over and Logan grabbed her to make sure she didn’t fall. Their eyes met with a sudden intensity and his grip tightened.

 

“Logan.” Veronica whispered and took a deep breath. The breath seemed to shake Veronica loose from whatever had caught them in the moment. She closed her eyes and shook herself . She swallowed and smiled, shrugging his warm hands from her arms, “It was nice to see you Logan.” She bit her lip to keep anything else from coming out.

 

Logan looked down at his hands gripping her arms and took a breath, smiled and gave her a friendly squeeze. “Yep, well, it’s been a pleasure as always, Veronica. You look…” he cleared his throat, “I…bye.” And with that he turned abruptly and headed down toward the street.

 

Shaking herself out of, whatever that was with Logan, Veronica turned back to the door and entered the strange beachfront mansion.

 

“Mac? Mac-attack?”

 

“AH! Bond! Ohmygod, Veronica?! Where are you?” Came a voice from somewhere in the void. Veronica looked around the opulent front entrance. To the left of the open floor plan was a giant kitchen with a marble island and bar stools, which lead to a dinning room. On the right, a staircase and then a cozy living room with a fireplace. The entire wall facing Veronica, that backed both the dining room and living room, was glass windows facing the ocean. Well, actually, it faced a giant multi-level patio with a Jacuzzi, grill area, and fire pit that led to the beach, which lead to the ocean. It was breath taking. It literally took away Veronica’s breath for a moment as she tried to figure out where Mac’s voice was coming from.

 

“Veronica! We’re on the patio.”

 

Veronica followed the voice to a lower level patio, a few steps below the main one, with further steps leading down to the beach. Stepping down to the lounge chairs Veronica spied a dark pompadour of hair peaking over a chair.

 

“Mac. Jeeze, if you were going to give in to the dark side, at least you waited out until they gave you the best possible housing.” Veronica quipped as she moved towards her tiny friend. Mac jumped up and hugged Veronica with a surprisingly strong grip and a smile that invigorated the previously exhausted Veronica.

 

“Sweet! A little girl-on-girl action. And I thought my afternoon was going to be boring.”

 

Veronica turned away from Mac towards the direction of the pompous voice, “Dick.”

 

“You know Ronnie, you have a way of saying my name that makes it sound like an insult.”

 

“Weird that you notice that.”

 

“Veronica.” Mac warned.

 

“What? I was simply saying to my friendly acquaintance Dick here that he’s got a keep sense, and I would know, I was an intern at the FBI all summer. “

 

“Whatever.” Dick said as he casually rolled off his lounge chair. “Have fun playing with each other’s hair and having pillow fights or whatever.” With that Dick grabbed his beer and sauntered up the stairs and inside.

 

“Um, ok. So, you’re friends with Dick now?” Veronica turned her confusion to her friend.

 

“Uh, yeah, so you’ve been busy this summer. I knew you weren’t really checking your emails, but, uh, yeah. There really wasn’t anyone here this summer. And…I don’t know. Dick needed a friend while he was figuring out all the stuff with his dad and Bev..Cassidy. And…I don’t know. I was nice, you know, to talk to someone about him. About Cassidy, you know.” Mac took a breath to catch up and looked down at her feet.

 

Veronica took the moment to really look at her friend. Mac had changed a lot over the summer. She had leaned out, almost too skinny. Her hair was cut off, no longer the shoulder length bob, but a harsh and modern pompadour with shaved sides. She had been lounging in a midriff bearing black tee and jean shorts. This didn’t seem like the Mac she had left behind. And she was still looking at her feet, kicking random grains of sand around the patio.

 

“Mac,” Veronica said with a gentle smile, “I would really love to hear all about it.”

 

“Really?” Mac said with a smirk and an eyebrow quirked.

 

“God no, if it involves Dick, I’m sure I’ll hate it,” Veronica said with the same gentle smile, “But, who knows, I’ve been wrong before. And I love you, so…”

 

Mac laughed, “It makes more sense when you remember you were in Virginia ignoring all contact all summer, Wallace was in Africa, and Parker pretty much fell off the face of the planet.”

 

“Ok, ok I know I suck.” Veronica laughed. “But seriously, you must have been desperate to end up friends with Dick.”

 

“You realize he’s my roommate right?”

 

“Ugh. I was hoping that bit of FBI intuition was incredibly off. Damn me and me keen sense of deduction. So you and Dick are friends. And roommates….and…dear god, more? Veronica asked bracing herself.

 

‘Eww! Veronica!?” Mac blushed right up to her roots. “God, no. It’s Dick. We’re just roommates. He helped out with the website Logan and I build last Spring. His dad dicked him over… no pun intended…and he didn’t want to go back to the Grand. So, he was looking for a place to live on his own.”

 

“And how could he resist a little Mac-ation.”

 

Mac rolled her eyes. “I had been planning on rooming with Parker again, but she was MIA so, I didn’t really have a choice. No money or roommate, “ Mac said raising her left hand, “Dumb rich dude with beach front property,” raising her right, “kinda a no brainer, Veronica.”

 

“Wait, you were going to live with Parker again?” Something was making Veronica’s pinky finger itch. She scratched her head.

 

“Yeah, like I said, we had made plans to live together, but then she sort of disappeared on me right after school ended and all summer no word. You left, Wallace and Piz jumped ship, and I was left, like the sad Ikea monkey, alone with only Logan and Dick. You are lucky moving into a fancy, new home is the only real change.” Mac said with new determination.

 

“You are right Mac. I should never have left you.” Veronica said throwing her hands up in surrender.

 

“Damn straight. Now, can I give you a tour of this kick-ass place?” Mac asked with a giddy smile.

 

“Finally! It’s like you don’t even know me.”

 

“Just like to keep the anticipation at its peak, Bond”

 

“Yeah, yeah Q. Now start showing off all the gadgetry I know you’re just waiting to brag about.” Veronica threw her arm around Mac’s shoulders and they headed toward Mac’s decadent new home.

 

“Oh, before I forget. We’re throwing a back-to-school bash tonight…totally Dick’s idea…but you should come.”

 

“Mac, you act like I’m not planning on taking total advantage of your situation and claiming the guest room for myself. You do have a guest room, right?” Veronica asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

“It wouldn’t be a fabulous beach house without several guest rooms. I’m sure Dick won’t mind”

 

“You say that as though, I would care if he did mind. Mac, it truly has been far too long.” Veronica said as they walked back into the home.

 

“Far, far too long.” Mac said laughing. “Come on, let me show you the kitchen first. If I know you at all anymore, I’ll guess that you could probably eat something about now.”

 

“It’s like you see inside my soul, dear Mac-ie. Lead the way my friend.” Veronica smiled.

 

“Don’t think I didn’t notice that you are more excited about the prospect of getting food from my kitchen that anything else we’ve discussed this afternoon.”

 

“Once I’m fed, I promise to focus all my attention on the blush that arose from my inquiry into the junior Richard Casablancas.” Veronica said with a backward glance to Mac.

 

“Let’s put some food in that mouth, huh.” Mac said as she leaned into Veronica and laughing covered Veronica’s mouth.

 

Laughing they made their way to the kitchen.

 


	2. Parker's Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica comes to terms with her relationship that she left behind when she spent the summer in Virginia for her FBI internship. Just when things seem to be finding a balance she is informed of a case that has far reaching implications.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks adorkableauthor, Bristow1941, aperfectsong, and Kayte76 (plenty of fabulous 4some action on the way!) for their feedback. No Logan interaction this chapter (although there's plenty of Veronica angst about it) - but next chapter will have plenty.

“So, does Logan live here too?" Veronica asked as casually as possible while taking a bite from the sandwich she and Mac had put together a few minutes ago.

 

“No,” Mac said between bites, she swallowed and continued; “I’m guessing you saw him on your way in. I was wondering if we were ever going to get around to that.”

 

“Yeah, I mean it’s no big deal. I knew I would see him again once I was back, I just didn’t think it would be here. It’s cool.” Veronica focus in on her sandwich and ignored Mac’s questioning look. “Logan is…complicated-”

 

“Oh, I know.” Mac interrupted.

 

“You know?” Veronica looked up.

 

“It’s just. Well, like I said, we spent a lot of time together this past year. When he was with Parker we started to get really close and over the summer…He told me about the whole ‘it’s done’ thing. I get it.” Mac said avoiding eye contact.

 

“You _get_ it? Wait, what? He told you about that?” Veronica was starting to get upset.

 

“Eh, no, I mean. Look, obviously I’m saying this wrong. I just mean that, you know,” Mac took a deep breath, “You guys have a very complicated situation. That it. I don’t really understand it, but I’m sorry you had to see him. I didn’t expect you to come over so early and, honestly, I was just hoping to avoid this whole thing.”

 

“This whole thing? It’s not-“

 

“Veronica.” Mac said with a sudden directness. “Can we be real for a minute here?”

 

Veronica and Mac finally made eye contact and Mac could see the flare in Veronica's eyes that usually made people run, or admit their horrible crimes.

“Of course.” Veronica said tersely.

 

Mac sighed, “How was it seeing him? I mean, how are you, really?”

 

“Mac.” Veronica forced a laugh, “I’m fine. Look at this face. Yes, I’ll admit, the Logan thing threw me for a minute. But I’m fine. I mean, I think I’m actually still dating Piz, so this whole conversation is irrelevant anyways.”

 

“Wait,” Mac’s confusion turned to true laughter, “What? You’re ‘maybe’ still with Piz. What does that even mean?” Mac dissolved into laughter and buried her into her hands.

 

“Well, “ Veronica tried to press seriously, “We never really broke up. So, I...I guess were still together, or, whatever. I mean, we haven’t had a chance to catch up and talk about it.”

 

“So you’re telling me you just left for Virginia and never spoke to Piz. You spent the entire summer avoiding him--along with your more deserving best friends, by the way-- and expect that you are still somehow boyfriend and girlfriend?” Mac threw another incredulous look at Veronica’s direction.

 

“Well.” Veronica said with a sigh, ”I think there was just an unspoken sort of understanding.” Off Mac’s chuckle, Veronica blew out a deep breath. “OK. So I’m an idiot.”

 

“And, totally not over Logan.” Mac said with a sly smile.

 

Veronica whined and frowned. “You're going to hold this conversation over my head for a very long time, aren’t you?”

 

“Let's just say, it’s a good thing my criminal tendencies only come out around you. If I ever went rogue I would totally destroy you, Veronica Mars.”

 

“That’s why I keep on your good side Q.” Veronica smiled.

 

“Damn straight.” Mac returned, “Now, were you serious about needing a room?”

 

“Ugh,” Veronica rolled her neck back and blew a breath out towards the ceiling. “No. But maybe yes.” She looked back at Mac. “I’ve been avoiding the parental unit. It’s partially why I waited so long to come home.”

 

“Oh, come on. Keith is like the perfect parental figure.”

 

“Not when it’s comes to women.”

 

Mac’s eyes when wide. “Wha? Ok, I don’t even know why I’m as interested as I am, but please tell me, who is your dad dating?”

 

“So, you remember Ms. James?”

 

“No.” Mac paused, “Wait. Like from high school? _Ms. James_ , Ms. James?”

 

“Yes, Mac. The very same. Our former guidance councilor Ms. James and my father have spent the last few months dating and, shocker-“ Veronica gestured with her hand.

 

“-Never do that-“ Mac interrupted.

 

With a withering look, Veronica continued, “Shockingly, they’ve decided to move in together. So, no, I have not been to see the perfect parental figure. As that status has been entirely destroyed.”

 

“Veronica.”

 

“Yes, Mac?”

 

“You know I adore you and your scruples.”

 

“Yes Mac.”

 

“But I insist you head home, check in with your dad, deal with whatever there is to deal with, and then come back here and I will give you as many drinks as it takes to heal what ails you. And don’t worry about the cost, remember, it’s on the Casablanca’s tab.”

 

“Stop, Mac.” Veronica held up her hand, “You had me at _many_ drinks.”

 

Veronica took a long look out at the ocean and then turned back to her tiny dark haired friend. She looked so different with her short hair. The blond streaks instead of blue or red made Mac look suddenly grown up and mature. Mac’s raised eyebrow and questioning look brought Veronica back to reality. She shook her head and told smiled at Mac, "I'm gonna get gone. But, I will be back tonight, for beverages, comfort, and, possibly, in desperate need of that guest room.”

 

“It’s all yours girlfriend.” Mac said with a smile.

 

Feeling a sentimental pull towards this new, streamlined Mac, Veronica leaned in for a hug. A stunned Mac reciprocated.

 

“You sure you’re ok, Bond?”

 

Mid-squeeze Veronica closed her eyes, “Yeah. I’m ok.” Letting go quickly and backing away from Mac, Veronica turned and headed toward the door. “See ya tonight. Tell Dick that I expect the good stuff. You know, top shelf.” She waved over her shoulder.

 

“Tonight we party like the 09ers we should have been.” Mac shouted at Veronica’s retreating figure.

 

“Did you say something Mac?” Dick’s voice yelled down the staircase.

 

“No. Just saying goodbye to Veronica.” She yelled back towards the stairs. Mac stared at the car pulling out of her driveway and then started cleaning up the kitchen, she had a party to prep for and, god knows, Dick wasn’t going to be any help.

 

                                                                                        *****

 

Veronica drove down to the decidedly _un_ -09er district of beach-front property that housed her dad’s apartment complex. She parked out front, grabbed her suitcase out of the trunk, and stared up at the second floor apartment she’d called home for the last four years. She thought she saw a shadow pass by the window and took a deep breath.

 

Yes, Veronica Mars, bad-ass detective was nervous to go home. Her last conversation with her dad, the one where he informed her that Rebecca James would be moving in, had been awful. She’d been awful.

 

Pulling out her phone, Veronica scrolled through to find the name she’d been thinking of.

 

“Look at you, Papa Bear? Answering on the first ring.” Veronica smiled into the phone.

 

 _“How many times do I have to tell you_ not _to call me that? The ladies lose respect for me when they hear you calling me that.”_ Wallace returned.

 

“Oh you and your ladies. Please, you have enough flavor to handle any of my nicknames. I bet if I started calling you my little-“

 

_“-OK. I’m just going to stop you there, because I’m sure this is a conversation where you are gonna be asking me for a favor and I don’t want you to be climbing too far out of the grave you’re diggin.”_

“You, Wallace. You are a true gentlemen, if I could knight you, I would.” Veronica eyed the shadows still moving in her apartment window and turned away towards the ocean. “But you know me, totally selfless, always looking out for my dear friends best interest-“

 

 _“For sure, for sure-“_ Wallace agreed sarcastically.

 

“-Always keeping an eye out for opportunities to hook a brother up.”

 

“ _I’m_ sure _there’s a point to this conversation, anytime now. You wouldn’t leave a_ brotha _hanging.”_ The smile showing through in Wallace’s voice.

 

Veronica laughed, “I would never leave a brotha hanging. And neither would you…which is why you are going to join me at Mac and Dick’s tonight at their far-to-fabulous beach house for a party, beautiful babes obviously included.”

 

_“What? Mac and Dick? Are they-?”_

 

“Nope, from what I’m told it is strictly a financial and housing situation for the Macster. Although, her blush would imply otherwise.”

 

 _“Cool, cool. Hold on a sec-“_ Wallace pulled the phone away from himself and yelled to someone nearby, _“You wanna party tonight?”_ A pause, _“Some party on the beach. Veronica’s inviting us-”_ A few more beats that started to make Veronica very uncomfortable. “ _Yeah, I know, but it should be cool.”_

“Um, Wallace?” Veronica queried into her phone.

 

 _“Yeah, V. We’re cool. We’ll be there. You can come with us if you want.”_ Wallace said with a little smugness to his voice.

 

“I take it that ‘we’ includes a certain roommate of yours.” Veronica said with a tight smile.

 

 _“Of course. Oh, I’m sorry, is that a_ problem _for you?”_ Wallace’s voice was still far too pleasant for Veronica’s liking.

 

“You are a traitor and I hate you.”

 

 _“I learned from the best. Love you too, V. See ya tonight.”_ Wallace returned with a smile. Veronica didn’t respond and pressed the red ‘end call’ button perhaps a little too harshly.

 

One potential minefield ahead of her later this evening, Veronica decided to face the more immediate one facing her in her apartment. Worst case scenario, this one explodes and kills her and she wouldn’t have to bother with the whole ‘Piz’ situation or for that matter, the ‘Logan’ situation that she was trying very hard _not_ to think about. How had she become _this_ person. This pathetic girl with boy (make that all around men – if you included her dad and the traitorous Wallace into the mix) problems.

 

With a grunt Veronica hoisted her full suitcase up the staircase towards her apartment. She paused out in front of the door and listened (ever the PI) to the conversation on the other side of the inch and a half of Douglas Fir that made up their front door. It sounded a bit like an argument.

 

_“..if she were here it’d be different” said a voice that sounded liker her dad’s._

_“It’s not fair, you know that’s what she’d say.” A female voice deflected. “Plus, she has training now. Who knows, she may even be able to use some fancy database or have connections..”_

_“Stop. Ok, you don’t. You haven’t been here.” Keith protested to the female voice, “Veronica doesn’t know how to stop. Last year…she’s just unpredictable when she gets something in her sights.”_

 

Veronica felt an embarrassed flush raise up her chest. She had never really discussed anything with her dad about the Castle or Jake Kane or the break in. She had been able to get Jake to drop charges, but it didn’t stop her dad from being crucified in the newspaper and destroyed in the race for Sheriff. Veronica left for Virginia the morning after the results. Her dad never said anything. No blame, no judgment. But, Veronica’s guilt kept her from contacting him too much over the summer. She just focused on the FBI internship and hoped that everything would magically fix itself back home.

 

If she was honest with herself she had ignored all of her relationships in Neptune: her dad, Piz, Logan. No, Veronica, for you there is no time out. There is no pause button to hit until you come back and are ready to deal with reality.

 

She focused back on the conversation happening a foot away, _“…I just don’t want her to feel like history is repeating, and-”_

_“Honestly,” Keith interrupted, “I think it’s just another teen tired of her family and taking some time to figure out her own stuff – “_ Veronica’s pinky was tingling and her curiosity finally got the best of her. She pushed the front door open, “Honey, I’m home!” Veronica yelled into the home, “Oh,” She feigned surprise to see Ms. James, _Rebecca_ , and her father in the kitchen, “Hi!”

 

“Veronica! Hi!” Ms. James blushed and rushed in for a hug. Veronica and her dad made eye contact over Ms. James' left shoulder as she squeezed Veronica tight.

 

“Veronica.” Her dad said as Rebecca backed away. His eyes stayed on hers, but his face softened, “come on," And with his arms wide and a knowing smile taking over his face, "Who’s your daddy?”

 

Veronica’s eyes started to well and she swallowed it down, “Ew, God Dad, how many times do I have to tell you that is just too weird.” She rushed into his open arms, leaving her bag at the door.

 

“Love you, kid.”

 

“Love you, too.” Veronica squeezed her arms around her dad and closed her eyes tight. She tried to pour ‘I’m sorry’ into every square inch of her body that was touching him.

 

And, as if he truly understood her unspoken wish, he squeezed back just as hard, “I know.” He whispered. Clearing his throat and backing off he grabbed her shoulders with each hand and looked at her until she made eye contact, “I know.”

 

Veronica leaned her cheek to her left shoulder and caught her dad’s hand between her shoulder and her face. “Hey, I missed you.”

 

“Ditto, kiddo.” Her father responded with wet eyes. And just like that, like always, everything between them was fine. Veronica smiled and took her first real deep breath of the past 24-hours, releasing her dad and acknowledging the elephant in the room.

 

“So, something smells good.” She said with an apologetic smile to the other woman.

 

“I made lasagna, it’s eggplant—trying to keep your dad a little more healthy. So, I know it’s not exactly your favorite, but I hope-“ Rebecca started to ramble.

 

“I’m sure it’ll be great, Ms. James.” Veronica offered.

 

“Please, it’s Rebecca.”

 

“I’m sure it’ll be great, Rebecca.” Veronica repeated. “And lucky for you I am famished, so I’ll be devouring whatever is placed in front of me.”

 

Rebecca laughed, “Well, it should be ready soon. I’m sure your dad will be ready to devour it by that time too. As long as he still has his appetite.” Veronica noticed her dad flinch slightly at the mention of his appetite.

 

“Why would your appetite be gone?” She asked instantly suspicious and reminded of the conversation that had been taking place before she walked in the door.

 

“It’s nothing to concern yourself with Veronica.” He said with a quick look at Ms. James.

 

“Yeah, that’s not really doing anything for me. You forget that I’m fresh off three months at my FBI internship and I’m nothing if not my father’s daughter. There’s definitely something going on. Just tell me, maybe I can help.”

 

“Veronica,” Her dad eye met her’s, “you just got back. How about we have a nice dinner with Rebecca and you can tell us about your internship. What if I just want to enjoy my daughter being back home and going to college like a regular kid?” He asked with a pointed look.

 

“But her perspective could be useful.” Two sets of Mars’ eye flew across the room to Ms. James who looked apologetically at Keith. “I just mean,-“ She sighed, “She’s going to find out anyways, Keith.”

 

Veronica laughed and looked between her father and her former guidance councilor, “OK, someone should probably say something soon, because now I’m starting to get really nervous.”

 

Her dad sighed, beaten, and turned sad eyes back to Veronica.

 

“Your friend Parker is missing. She’s been missing since May. Her parents have contacted me asking me to try and track her down.” Veronica’s jaw dropped, confusion setting in. “I’m sorry, Kid. We’ll find her.”

 

Veronica’s dad wrapped her in another hug. She clenched her hand behind his back and scratched her pinky finger, confusion wracking her face.

 

“We’ll find her.” Her dad repeated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica preps for Parker investigation while attending Dick and Mac's party.

Dinner with her dad was a delicate balancing act for Veronica. She politely picked at the dinner provided by Ms. James, but the eggplant lasagna weighed too heavy with the knowledge that Parker was gone. And a small, nagging part of her thought maybe she was to blame.

She avoided her father’s eye contact while providing the requisite entertaining stories from her summer at the FBI during dinner until she felt she could excuse herself to her old bedroom to unpack.

  _“He’s all yours Veronica.”_

_“Trust me, not why I’m here.”_

_“You know, doesn’t even matter anyway.”_

God, was that seriously the last time she spoke to Parker? A one-off aside while she rushed off to tear Logan apart.

Veronica felt sick; she ran to her bathroom and leaned over the toilet. A few deep breaths later and she calmed herself. OK Veronica, you’ve been here before. She shook her entire body out and moved to the bathroom mirror. Just figure it out. Where would Parker go? She’s mad at you and Logan. She didn’t want to go back home to Colorado. So, where would she hide out? Why didn’t she go to Mac? Did she really break up with Logan? Was that the last time they spoke?

UGH. Stop. Veronica leaned her forehead against the mirror and closed her eyes. Focus Veronica. 

She had a party to get to. And Veronica had to laughed to herself, she was yet again heading to a party in the hopes of getting some information. The day Veronica Mars went to a party just to enjoy herself seemed a long ways off. A distant future that was about as likely as finding an Earth-like planet out in a far away galaxy, the hope was always out there, but highly unlikely.

On this planet Veronica had to deal with stark realities. Parker was missing. It might be her fault. Logan was, as always, a suspect. Dick and Mac: possible witnesses. Oh, and might as well add in that Piz may still be her boyfriend, and Wallace would be here any moment to pick her up. Welcome home, Veronica.

Veronica splashed cold water on her face and grabbed her makeup bag. If she’d learned anything this summer at FBI camp, it was that you always over prepared for any situation. She’d look great tonight; she’d look calm and together. Let everyone else fall apart when she tested them. Veronica Mars was in charge. She wouldn’t let Parker down. At this moment she was officially on the case.

***

Veronica was grabbing her overnight bag when she heard a knock at her door.

“Good evening, Mr. Mars.” She heard Wallace’s polite voice out in full force in the front room.

“Hey Wallace, Stosh. How were your summers?"

“Africa was a lot, more than I actually expected…” Veronica tossed a couple more things in her bulging bag and took a quick glance around her room.

“Yeah, leaving me all alone back in Neptune, you jerk…” Was that Piz? He was in Neptune over the summer? Veronica was looking under her bed for her boots. From her low perspective she spotted their black silhouettes across the room and under her desk. Veronica ran over and rushed to put them on, while still listening intensely to the conversation in the other room.

“Stosh, that sounds like a wonderful time. So are you thinking radio is where you want to end up?” God Dad, Veronica thought, you don’t have to sound that excited about his summer.

Once the shoes were zipped into place Veronica rushed into the living room.

“Ah! I thought I heard some familiar voices out here. Hello boys. Are we ready to party?” Veronica gave Wallace a conspiratorial smile. Her smile wavered as she moved her eyes to Piz’s face. His puppydog smile made her instantly guilty and she knelt down. “Backup. Come here boy.” Her dog rushed over like he knew she needed the excuse and she rubbed her face against his muscled side, but pulled back as he tried to lick her face. She had a mission tonight and her makeup staying in place was part of the plan. Sorry Backup, kisses would have to wait until after a little recon.

“We should probably make like a tree and…” Veronica pointed towards the door.

“Get out of here. Yeah. I know.” Veronica’s dad rolled his eyes and put his arm around her. “Have fun. Wallace, I’m trusting you to keep these kids outta trouble. I’m getting old. There are only so many more times I can pick Veronica up from the clink.”

“Haha, old man. So this is what I missed over the summer? Man, I would have thought you would have spent that time working hard on your ‘My Lovely Daughter’ album. Caressing old photos, crying over old birthday cards I wrote for you in crayon?” Keith looked at the boys and shrugged, “Meh.”

“Welp, I guess I’ll just give you some more time to miss me properly. You learn from this mister.” Veronica joked as she shrugged her dad’s arm off her shoulder. “Come on boys, times a’wastin.”

The trio headed to Piz’s car. “Wallace why don’t you take the front seat,” Veronica pre-empted as they neared the car. “I’ve got my big ‘ol bag and your legs are longer. It just makes sense, right?” Her eye contact dared Wallace to question her.

“Yeah, sounds logical V. I’ll take the front.” Wallace said with a robotic tone and a forced smile. Well, if he wanted to make things more awkward that was his decision. Luckily for both of them, Piz didn’t seem to catch on. Gotta love the simplicity of the Oregon native.

Veronica barely paid attention to the drive back to the 09er district. Her thoughts swirling around snippets of old conversations she’d had with Parker. The car stopped moving and Veronica was snapped from her deep reminiscing. She squeezed her temples with one hand and took a deep breath. Snap out of it, this is just a job, Veronica. She followed the boys and stepped out of the vehicle. 

“Hey Wallace,” she said, “Mind heading in without us, I just have to catch up with Piz quick.”

“Yeah. Sure. If you’re cool with it, I heard there were going to be some fine single ladies here tonight. I’m gonna go do a rotation. I’ll see you guys inside.” He leaned into Veronica and whisper in her ear, “Be kind.” Wallace gave her a pleading look for a moment before snapping his fingers and capping his left hand over his right fist. He turned and headed toward the beach house where the pulsating beat of heavy bass could already be felt even across the street.

Veronica walked around the car towards the hood that Piz was leaning against. “Hey you.” She started with false intimacy. She leaned her left side against the hood facing him. 

“Veronica, you can stop. I get it. It’s cool”

“Get what?” Veronica laughed.

“I appreciate the…kindness? But we haven’t spoken all summer, you didn’t respond to any of my emails. I’m a journalist. You haven’t asked, but I spent the summer interning at that radio station here in Neptune. It was nice actually, no sex tapes, no robberies, no real problems to solve. I had almost forgotten what a normal day felt like.” 

“Ah, ok.” Veronica crossed her arms across her chest, this wasn’t really going how she expected it too. “So what, you had a normal summer and we’re over?” She asked incredulously. It’s one thing for her relationship with Piz to be over, but entirely another for him to be the one ending things.

“Look, it’s cool. I’m just not really cut out for conflict. I mean I got into a fight last May. And if the slight dig in my cheekbone has any message for me, it’s that I’m far too pliant to date Veronica Mars.” Piz grabbed her elbows for emphasis and gave her an intense look with a broad smile on his face, she couldn’t help but smile back at the absurdity of sweet Piz getting into a fist fight.

Veronica bit her lip to stop her laughter and looked up at Piz with a sad smile. “It was nice pretending I could be a normal girlfriend.”

Piz backed up and smiled with a shrug, “It was nice pretending I was a bad-ass-sex-tape-making-fight-instigating-bad-boy.”

Veronica and Piz both started laughing at their unlikely pairing. “I’m so sorry Piz.” Veronica wheezed and gave his arm a parting squeeze.

“Seriously, it’s cool. We’re good. Plus, you would not believe the amount of pity action I got telling that fight story all summer.” Piz gave her a wink and Veronica relied with a swift, but friendly, punch to his bicep, “Come on Veronica, let’s get in there and see if Wallace has completely embarrassed himself trying to be a lady’s man. We can flip a coin to see who has to tell him that he doesn’t have half as much flavor as he thinks he does.” Piz threw an arm over Veronica’s shoulder and then headed toward Mac’s party.

*** 

The party was in full swing as Piz and Veronica entered the house. It wasn’t crazy packed like some of the house parties she’d been to in high school, or the frat parties at the Phi Sig’s house, but still a number of unfamiliar faces. Veronica pushed Piz ahead as she tried to track down Mac and get some of that, now very necessary, liquid lubrication she was promised.

A dj was set up with a full pa system on the patio and people spilled out of the house on to the back patio, some dancing to the music, others lounging on the patio furniture or even further down on the beach where there looked to be a bon fire and, possibly, a keg or two.

“I think I see Wallace down by the keg. Wanna join?” Piz asked as he squinted down at the beach.

Veronica tried to follow his gaze, but was distracted by a sarcastic giggle to her right. She turned and saw Mac giving Dick friendly arm swat while they spoke to two people that Veronica didn’t know. She turned back to Piz and shook her head, “You go ahead, bust up whatever game he might be pulling, far be it for me to be accused of cock-blocking this early in the night.” 

She watched him weave down the stairs to the beach and headed over to her best friend and her new _roommate._

“So, I was like yeah right. I’ve had _cookies_ before dude, I know how much I can handle. Turns out they were like double the potency, but you know how it’s a slow release and I’m like two cookies in and still feeling nothing, so I’m like, how about we head to the bar for some cocktails, you know?” Dick seemed to have his audience in rapt attention, even Mac was watching with her eyes wide and a knowing smile on her face. 

“Sorry to break up this highly intellectual conversation, about…weed cookies?” Veronica asked with an eyebrow raised.

“Ha! Ye-“A bubbly girl with an afro started to respond when Dick interrupted, “Dude. Don’t tell her anything, she’s a total nark.”

“Dick, you do know that I’m not an actual cop. I was interning with the FBI this summer. So, like, not an actual employee.”

“Whatever. That’s totally what a cop would say.” Dick said as he crossed his arms across his dark grey t-shirt that, oddly, lacked any sort of idiotic catch phrase.

“Dick, “Mac said with a sigh and an eyeroll, “Stop. Veronica is our friend.” She continued looking more directly at Veronica. “Hey V, this is Kimber and Michelle. They interned with me this summer at Kane.”

“Kane?” Veronica said questioningly to Mac as she returned a quick wave to the two new faces across from her.

“Oh!” Mac said with a guilty look in her eyes and an apologetic smile, “did I forget to mention that I interned at Kane Software all summer?”

“And she was such a smarty stud that they offered to pay her to keep coming. Boom!” Dick said with obvious pride.

“Wow, huh.” Veronica clenched her jaw. “After everything?”

“Kimber, Michelle, I’ll catch up with you guys later, ok? Go down and grab another drink.” Mac said to the two now very uncomfortable girls, who took the offer for a fast escape.

“Well…”Veronica led, lifting her right hand in expectation of some response. 

“Jeeze Ronnie. Lay off the Macs-ter. So she worked an internship with Duncan’s dad over the summer. What’s it to you?”

Mac looked chastened, “V, it was a great offer. Too good really for someone like me to pass up.” She looked down at the ground, “And he really has no clue about me helping you. At least I’m pretty sure. And if he figured it out, well. I mean, he obviously was impressed, right?”

“I don’t know.” Veronica blew out a deep breath. Jake had dropped the charges against her dad. And having that sort of technology at Mac’s fingertips certainly wasn’t a bad thing. “I’m sure you’re right, I just worry about you.” 

Keep you’re enemies close and all that. When all was said and done, working at Kane Industries was probably the safest place for Mac to be right now. Especially if someone was making young women disappear in Neptune. Which brought Veronica to her real reason for coming over in the first place, “Besides, we have bigger things to worry about. Parker is missing.” 

“Missing?” Mac said with a head tilt and furrowed brow. 

“Well, where is she?” Dick asked.

“That’s the point, no one knows.” Veronica responded while searching their eyes and only seeing true confusion.

“But like, how?” Dick raised his hand in front of them looking for some sort of answer.

“Oh, my god. Dick. Again. No one knows what happened, that’s why she’s a missing person.” Veronica enunciated with annoyance.

Mac noticed that Veronica was clenching her fists down by her side and decided they all needed a quick distraction.

“Ok, we’re all just trying to figure this out, Dick why don’t you grab us some drinks. Stiff ones I think. And then we can try and sort this out.” Mac smiled at Veronica, put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. She turned back to Dick who was still waiting and looking at her to make sure. She nodded at him and smiled.

Once Dick was on his way to the bar on the patio, Mac turned back to Veronica. “Ok. So, Parker’s missing. I guess that explains why she totally flaked on rooming with me.” Mac’s hand suddenly flew to her mouth and she looked at Veronica with frightened round eyes, “Do you think…” Mac swallowed deeply, “I mean, what if she’s dead.”

Veronica bit her lip and thought back to her training this summer. A young girl with a bright future vanishes without a word to her closest friends, yep, that definitely didn’t look good. But the look on Mac’s face was telling her that tonight wasn’t the night to share that observation. So, for the millionth time in her life, Veronica put a smile on her lips and lied to one of her favorite people, “We’re pretty sure that she’s just taking some time off. You know, last year was really stressful. Maybe she just wanted a break.”

Mac’s eyes returned to their normal size and she gave Veronica a weak smile, “I know you’re lying, but it’s something to work with. So, she’s missing.”

“She’s missing. And, no matter what, I’m going to find her. OK?” Veronica searched Mac’s eyes. Mac blinked rapidly and gave Veronica a tight-lipped half smile, while nodding. Veronica nodded back.

“Ok Bond. And I’m helping.” Mac had a determined look on her face and stopped when Veronica made a face to protest, “Hey, look at this face. Parker was my friend. I’m helping.” Veronica nodded again at Mac’s determined look. Mac started to smile a bit more, “Besides, knowing you there will be some last minute-all-nighter-database recovery or something. I’m just preemptively letting you know I’m available.” 

“Fair enough, Q. Fair enough” Veronica laughed. 

“Just make sure you come baring twizzlers and red bull. Otherwise, well,” Mac shrugged.

“You drive the hardest bargains.” Veronica said with a smile leaning in conspiratorially to Mac, “You know, you can never tell Wallace about our deal right? I mean he still just does everything for me without asking for anything.”

“Sucker.” Mac laughed with a friendly eyeroll. Mac’s eye’s drifter over Veronica’s shoulder and grew in size as she waved and smiled. With the smile still on her face she whispered without moving her lips, “Just so you know Logan Echolls is walking towards us.”

“What!?” Veronica’s smile quickly left her face. “Umm, what do I say?”

“I have no idea.” Mac whispered with the same frozen smile on her face. “But you’re Veronica Mars, I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

Veronica mimicked Mac’s frozen smile on her own face, “Like he’s coming straight over? Like on purpose.”

“Haha Veronica you’re hilarious. Oh, well look at this, hey there Logan!” Mac said with the mock appearance of casual behavior while giving Veronica a panicked quick look. 

“Well, her there Mac.” Logan said with a raised eyebrow. 

“I, umm, well look at Dick over there…” Mac shrugged with a wide-eyed look, “I should..yep.” And with that she hurried off to where Dick was standing by the bar.

“Should we be worried about her?” Logan directed to Veronica while staring at Mac’s retreating form.

“Just momentary lack of social grace. She spends most of her time conversing with artificial intelligence, so really I blame us for not anticipating a mental break earlier.”

“We have truly let the Mac-ster down.” Logan turned and smiled fully at Veronica. “Should I reboot her later, or leave that to you?”

“I feel like since we’re the point of impact, we should probably be as far away as possible when the reboot starts.” Veronica smirked.

“Hmm. There’s that Mars wit I missed so much over the summer.” Logan said, suddenly serious. “I did you know.” He said brushing a piece of Veronica’s hair over her shoulder. He was looking anywhere but into her eyes, “Miss you, I mean. I should have said that earlier today.”

Veronica shivered from his momentary touch and took a deep breath. She let it out with a forced laugh and moved back a step. “Now, see from the stories Mac and Dick told me your summer—“ 

“—You don’t have to be like thi—“

“Like what?” Veronica asked incredulously. 

“God, Veronica. I don’t know. You could just—“ Logan cut himself off shaking his head. He brought his hand to the back of his head, his tell that he was self-conscious and about to say something uncomfortable, and possibly cruel. Veronica braced herself as he aggressively grasped the hair at the back of his neck and he spit out a quick laugh that held no humor. “Don’t you just get tired of it sometimes?”

“Tired of what, Logan?” Still clenched and slightly exasperated Veronica threw her hands down at her sides. She wasn’t sure what she wanted him to say. A part of her was thinking he would just grab her and kiss her. She saw his eyes flash and she raised an eyebrow in challenge. God, she missed him like this. All summer she had been waiting to be challenged and no one even came close. Was she tired of pretending she didn’t care? Was she tired of not being with him? Was she tired of fighting off the urge to kiss him? Veronica felt a spark light up in her belly and shoot upward as Logan leaned down. A small smirk quirked at the corner of his lip. He leaned his left hand against the window over her right shoulder, bending down so that their faces were just a few inches apart.

Logan squinted his eyes for a moment as they stared searchingly into hers. His lips parted lightly and he tongue slipped out to moisten them. Veronica followed the action with a stare before feeling a heated blush hit her cheeks as she returned her eyes to Logan’s. That knowing smirk of his returned and he nodded to some internal question.

“I repeat, tired of what?” Veronica whispered, trying to regain the power in the conversation as she stared at the gold flakes in Logan’s brown eyes. 

Logan pushed off the glass with his left hand suddenly and backed up to his full height. He gave a chuckle, “Guess not.”

Veronica shivered at the sudden cold that came with Logan’s body head a foot away. She let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding. “I guess not then.”

“I should go.” Logan was again looking anywhere but Veronica.

“But, you just got here.”

“Yeah, I just realized I’m not really in the party mood.” Logan kicked a rock off the patio.

Veronica was about to agree with him, when she remembered her mission for the party in the first place. Swallowing her feelings and trying for casual, “Umm, well, so did you see Parker this summer?”

“What? God Veronica. Is that what this is about? Parker?” Logan’s confusion and hurt was written on his face and Veronica to think of anyway to make her next question not be read into as a needy ex-girlfriend question.

“Ugh, Ronnie. Are you trying to purposely ruin my party.” Luckily, for Veronica, Dick and Mac chose that moment to return with her now much more necessary alcoholic beverage. “You are like, the ultimate buzz kill. You know that right?” 

Veronica grabbed her drink from Mac’s hand and took a deep and hearty gulp. Mac looked sympathetically from Veronica to Logan. 

“It’s cool Logan, we’re on the case. Right, V? We’ll find Parker. I mean she probably just needed some time off.” Mac persuaded, confusing Logan’s agitation at Veronica with the though that he had just heard the news of Parker’s missing person status. 

“Parker’s missing?” Logan questioned, confusing and agitation still coursing through his entire body.

“I was just getting to that.” Veronica threw Mac a tight smile, to which Mac cringed and mouth a silent ‘sorry’. 

“So, that’s what this was all about? You think I had something to do with Parker going missing?” Logan threw his head back and made a strangled noise. “Oh course. Stupid, stupid Logan.” 

“Logan, that’s not--” Veronica tried.

“I’m out of here.” Logan started to push off and bumped into Piz and Wallace.

“Hey guys! We were just looking for you—“Piz said brightly to the group.

“Of course.” Logan said with a pointed glance at Veronica. “Hey Piz, how’s the rib cage?”

“Uh, umm. Good, pretty much normal.” Piz tried to smile weakly feeling the tension between the group. He tried for a joke, “How are the fists healing up?”

“Apparently, they still not quite right.” He said shortly pushing his way quickly past Wallace and Piz. “Gotta go, great party Dick. See ya Mac.”

“What is with that guy?” Piz said looking around the group. Wallace huffed a sigh and looked up shaking his head. Dick shrugged, taking down the nearly full cup in one swift chug.

Veronica shared a glance with Mac and smiled at Piz, “It’s not your fault.” With that she handed her glass to Mac and took off after Logan.

“Lo! Logan, wait.” Logan was nearly to the door when he stopped so abruptly that Veronica nearly knocked into him.

“What?”

“Sometimes.” Veronica said quietly.

“Sometimes…?”

“More than I’d like.” She said with a smile.

Logan stared at her for another beat and then smiled. He looked over her shoulder at their friends and then looked back at her. “Ok, then.” He looked back at Veronica. “I can work with that.” With that Logan turned back and headed out the door.

Veronica took a deep breath and blew it out as she turned back to face her friends. She felt a giddy rush and brought her hand up to her lips as she started to laugh to herself. In the past 24-hours she had somehow repaired her friendships with Mac and Wallace, formed a peace treaty with her father, officially faced and ended her relationship with Piz, and took tentative steps to repair whatever it was she still was feeling with Logan. If she weren’t Veronica Mars, she’d possibly be skipping back to her friends at a beautiful beachside house party. She slowed her gait as she came closer to her friends, catching them mid-conversation.

“Yeah, man, that was probably the last night we saw her. Dude, she was so pissed. I mean she was just laying into him at the club.” Dick was shaking his head.

Veronica quirked her head and her smile dropped from her face, “Who was pissed at who?” 

Four guilty looking faces turned towards Veronica. Mac and Dick made eye contact briefly before Mac confessed, “Logan and Parker. We—uh—Parker and I--we bumped into Logan and Dick and a bunch of people at the 09er like a month after school let out.”

The world was suddenly spinning and Veronica’s pinky finger twitched. She grabbed it and swallowed hard. “Ok, so what? They fought?”

Mac looked down at her feet, “Yeah, I was supposed to meet up with Parker the next day to look for apartments and she never showed up. I just figured she was still upset or embarrassed or something.”

“Yeah, it was super messed up of her Mac-y. I mean you were basically homeless.” Dick put his arm protectively around Mac’s tiny shoulders.

“Well, I mean she _is_ missing now. So, I just feel horrible. I should have known.” Mac leaned into Dick.

Piz looked a shade of green and Wallace was pacing uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

“So what happened that night? Where did Parker go?” Veronica was feeling a little sick herself.

“That’s the thing. She and Logan were making a scene and then they were both just gone.” Mac shook her head, finally looking up. “I’m sorry Veronica. They left and then Parker was just…I mean she’s gone.” 

Dick wrapped his other arm around Mac and pulled her into a full hug. Piz gave Veronica an uncomfortable shrug and pulled out his phone to take a call. He looked up at Veronica, “You ok?” Veronica nodded and motioned to him to take the call. Wallace moved around him to Veronica’s side and put an arm around her. 

“Hey Supa Fly, you ready to—“

“—get outta here?” Veronica interrupted, her voice sounding a world away, “Yes, please.” 

Serves you right, Veronica thought to herself, thinking you could come back to Neptune and have a day where everything just simply works itself out. There’s nothing easy or simple in Neptune. Back to work, Mars.


End file.
